Tag Archives: Healthy Hair

There is nothing as exciting as when you find pleasure in the smallest events in life. Transitioning my hair has been a journey of discovery. A few weeks ago I decided to take better care of my hair, use products that will promote hair growth and length retention. Today, I am loving my fuller hair and curls.

I have been struggling with my hair (shedding/length retention) all my life and it was very frustrating because I have always wanted long hair and no matter what I did it just kept falling off.

My hair is thin and when relaxed with a creme relaxer or straightened with a hot iron it becomes weak. You might ask yourself why I didn’t stop using a relaxer, well the answer is simple. My afro in its’ original state was something I would never consider wearing. I just wouldn’t know what to do with it (no one ever taught me how to groom an afro or style it). In South Africa as soon as you can afford a relaxer you buy one (if your mom/aunt hasn’t relaxed your hair already). Afro’s are not as common as you might think in South Africa.
In the past 2 weeks I accompanied my friend to the salon she had just had the big chop (cut off all her relaxed) and went natural and wanted to do a straight back as a protective style in the winter season. The hairstylist had one glance at her hair and told her she had to relax it because it wasn’t long enough and would not ‘look nice’ in her straight back extentions (this is how uncommon afros are in South Africa).

When I decided to transition I told myself I will not go fully natural because I knew I could’nt resist the urge to reach for my trusted relaxer. I decided to use a very very mild relaxer (black silk) that would losen my afro so I can manage my hair better.

Little did I know that at the point when I thought my hair will have new growth so tough I would have no option but to relax it, it would be looking as gorgeous as it does now. I have gone approximately 12 weeks without a relaxer, in that time I have been following a healthy hair regime.
– Deep condition every week
– Use a combination of essential oils (I mixed myself) everyday (cocunut, olive oil, flexseed oil, almond oil, avocado oil and custor oil).
– Give my hair intense hair treatment once a week
– Use a water-based spray with essential oils (when wearing a protective style)
– Avoid using heat
– Do protective style as often as possible especially in winter
– Cover my hair at night
– Use a wide tooth comb (I comb my hair as little as I can, I try not to use a comb)
– Trimmed off the ends
It might seem like too much but it’s not. I have grown into the regime and I love how my hair is changing everyday.

I now have two textures, relaxed and curly (new growth). I love the virgin hair. Instead of my new growth being tough and unmanageable it is soft very very soft and it is forming a curl pattern and not the usual coiled up spring.
When I sleep I do a protective style and spray my hair with my water-based spray. In the morning I undo my twists and use butter based moisturiser on my scalp, I then rub my scalp with my finger tips. By the time I’m done my hair looks soft, hydrated and curly. I don’t use a comb I just use my finger tips to set my curls into a style for the day.

This new texture has me jumping for joy because I never thought that my hair could look this great. So, now I am staying away from a creme relaxer jar and following my healthy hair regime. If someone would have told me before I began this journey that my hair would develop such a beautiful curl pattern and look so full and healthy I would NOT HAVE BELIEVED’M. I attribute this discovery to all the wonderful dedicated bloggers out there who selflessly share their journey so people like me can make informed choices.